By Ben Serrano BUTUAN City--The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) has claimed to have seized some eight kilos of shabu in on separate occasions across the region this year. PDEA regional director Julius Navales made this claim during the burning of nearly P1 million worth of shabu, marijuana, and illegal drug paraphernalia at the City Sports Complex in Barangay Libertad here. Navales said this year’s catch increased to 20 kilos the shabu confiscated by PDEA throughout Region 10 since 1998. Navales was joined by Judges Emmanuel Escatron and Godofredo Abul, city prosecutor Aljay Go, Councilor Jaime  Cembrano, and representatives of various groups in burning the seized illegal drugs and parapehernalia. Burned were 88.9 grams of shabu worth some P756 thousand and 4.5 kilos of dried marijuana worth some P156 thousand that were used as evidence in 131 drug cases that have already been resolved in this city. Navales called for the reactivation of Barangay Anti-Illegal Drugs Councils (Badacs) in Caraga. “With courts receiving 12 to 20 cases per week, the illegal drug problem is very alarming,” said Judge Escatron. “There is no doubt that the illegal drugs proliferation is a major concern not only in Caraga region... [The number of cases have] gone up to an unprecedented level.”